Lavendon Group has appointed Paul Rankin as managing director of its Middle East business, Rapid Access.

Rankin joins Lavendon from Johnson Controls International, where he was regional executive director with responsibilities across United Arab Emirates, Oman, Bahrain and Kuwait. He is a veteran of the Middle East region, having worked in Dubai since 2004. He holds a degree in building services engineering as well as an MBA from Strathclyde University.

Lavendon CEO Don Kenny said: “Paul brings a broad understanding of the rental industry to the group as well as a valuable network of contacts in the GCC and beyond and I believe he joins Rapid at an exciting time in its growth. There is now a strong management team in place with extensive local and international experience and a clear strategy to develop and expand the organisation to meet its full potential. We are keen to grow the business to take advantage of the considerable opportunities we see emerging in both the Gulf region and beyond and this key appointment demonstrates that commitment.”